Man who barricaded himself in house undergoes mental evaluation

Durham police take a man into custody on Tuesday afternoon after a five-hour standoff in Hope Valley Farms North. Authorities were called to the scene after the man allegedly threatened a security guard who works for the neighborhood homeowners' association.

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More details surfaced Wednesday about how Durham police handled a five-hour standoff with a man who barricaded himself in his house and was flushed out by tear gas.

The man, William Yohe, was taken into custody after the incident Tuesday afternoon at 2 Barnsdale Court in Hope Valley Farms North, off Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. He was transported to “a local facility for evaluation,” according to an email posted Wednesday by Lt. Jerry E. Yount, assistant commander for the Durham Police Department’s District Three.

The email was sent to members of Partners Against Crime.

Yount wrote that after Yohe allegedly threatened a private security guard working for the local homeowners association, Yohe went inside his house and refused to answer the door or telephone calls police made to him.

“Given the nature of the call, officers did not feel comfortable leaving the area,” Yount wrote. “For approximately an hour, officers attempted to make contact with Mr. Yohe by phone and by loudspeaker. Crisis intervention officers, hostage negotiators and the Tactical Team responded, as is protocol for a barricaded person.”

Yount said that negotiations were conducted in an effort to persuade Yohe to leave the house and surrender.

“Officers showed considerable restraint and held their positions for several hours despite Mr. Yohe’s behavior,” Yount wrote. “Negotiations reached an impasse, entry was made and Mr. Yohe was taken into custody on an involuntary commitment order issued by a magistrate. Mr. Yohe was transported to a local facility for evaluation.”

Yount said Wednesday he was not at liberty to discuss the matter in more detail.